2026 Program
Day One: Friday, February 6, 2026
All events will take place at the Performing Arts Center at Napa Valley College.
4:30 PM
OPENING PROGRAM
Welcoming Remarks
Dr. Priscilla Mora
Napa Valley College
Presentation of the Lifetime Legacy Award for Courage in Cinema to:
Ms. Kieu Chinh
Fireside Chat
Michelle Sugihara
Executive Director & CEO, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE)
With special participation by:
Ming-Na Wen
Award presented by:
Julia S. Gouw, Bill Imada, Isabelle Pelaud (Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network (DVAN)), & Lis MacDonald
Opening Remarks
HIKARI
Honorary Festival Director
Hosts:
Rachel Michiko Whitney & Shruti Parekh
*All events will take place at the Performing Arts Center at Napa Valley College unless otherwise indicated.
Day Two: Saturday, February 7, 2026
10:30 AM
Authenticity in Filmmaking
Presented by International Cultural Arts Network
Forum
Join a discussion with the creative talents behind the Hawaiian historical drama series Chief Of War on AppleTV+
Q&A with Chief of War actors Brandon Finn and Siua Ikale'o
Moderated by ICAN co-founder, Angela Laprete
Discussion moderated by Sanjay Sharma and Chikai Ohazama with filmmaker June Redthread
This forum will be held at:
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
2555 Main St.
St. Helena, CA 94574
1:00 PM
Napa Cinematic AI Symposium*
Featuring Goddess and 4 Seasons of Redthread Vision
Forum
3:30 PM
Julia Gouw Short Films:
Flight 182
Full Service
You Left Me A Ghost
Followed by Q&A with directors Rippin Sindher and Kristy Choi with actress Michele Selene Ang
Moderated by Michelle Sugihara, CAPE
7:15 PM
Diamonds in the Sand
Closing Film
Followed by Q&A with director Janus Victoria and actress Maria Isabel Lopez
Moderated by Marie Jamora, Cinema Sala Foundation
Closing Party*
Celebrate with dim sum at Empress M hosted by Ascend NorCal.
Doors open at 8pm.
Empress M
221 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94559